Attachment plug



Dec. 11, 1934. 5 FRENCH 1,984,181

ATTACHMENT PLUG Filed March 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l .-I TTORA'EYJ'Dec. 11, 1934. v s. 'F. FRENCH 1,984,181

ATTACHMENT PLUG Filed March 24, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J6 IT /4 f 7 W x50 11v VENTOR STA/VA Eff. fZ EA/CH. 1: Y

2M 4 AM FM .4 TTURNE H5 Patented Dec. 11, 1934 PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENTPLUG Stanley F. French, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., assignor to Anaconda Wire &Cable Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationMarch 24, 1933, Serial No. 662,417

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in attachment plugs and aims toprovide a plug in which means are provided for directing the conductorlaterally at substantially any desired angle relatively to the contactprongs. A further feature relates to the provision of a plug having abase provided with a multiplicity of angular grooves for positioning thefeed conductor and a cap adjustably secured to the base and having alateral opening for the conductor. which is adapted to be aligned withany one of the several grooves. A further feature relates to theprovision of an attachment plug having contact prongs on its front faceand a conductor passageway between the contacts, which is bridged by abar portion integral with the base around which the conductors areadapted to be wrapped. The invention further consists in the combinationand relative arrangement of the component parts of the plug as ishereinafter more fully specified.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodimentof the invention- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the attachment plug, thedotted lines showing the adjustability of the position of the feedconductor therefor;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation from the right side of Fig. 2 with a feedconductor shown in section;

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan of the plug with the cap removed;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the two main parts of the plug prior toassembly;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig.1;

Fig. 8 is a similar section taken approximately on the diagonal line 8-8of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a perspective detail view of the cap viewed from above;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the cap inverted parts being brokenaway and shown in section in the interest of clearness;'

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the base of the plug with the capremoved as viewed from above;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the base inverted and with one of thecontact prongs omitted for clearness.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 represents the base of the plugwhich is preferably formed of somewhat rigid moldable insulatingmaterial, such as bakelite, hard rubber, porcelain, or. other suitablematerials commonly used in this art. The base is of substantially cylindrical form and includes an annular cylindrical shell portion 12 and aportion 14 of slightly larger diameter, thus forming a shoulder 16. Acap of soft rubber or similar resilient material 18 is ten- 5 sionedover the enlarged part 14 of the plug, this cap having an inwardlyextending annular head portion 20, which engages the underside of theshoulder 16.

Contact prongs 22 and 24 formed of flat bar stock and provided withlaterally bent ears 26 and 28 are secured to the front face of the plugby anchorage members 30 and 32 molded or otherwise embedded in the base.The ears 26 and 28 are shaped, as best shown in Fig. 4, to fit inrecesses 34 and 36 formed in the front face of the base. Suitableterminal fastening devices, such as screws 38 and 40 are secured to theears, the free ends of these screws projecting into openings formed inthe base, as shown in Fig. 8.

There is a conductor passageway 42 extending longitudinally through thebase. At the front face of the base, this passageway is bridged by a barportion 44 formed integrally with the base and disposed diagonally withrespect to the parallel flat faces of the contact prongs 22 and 24, asbest shown in Fig. 4. This bar portion is provided on its front facewith recesses 46 and 48. The extremities of the conductors are adaptedto be wrapped or bent around the bridge bar -30 44 and the recesses 46and 48 guide the ends thereof approximately to the proper position forengagement with the terminal fastenings 38 and 40. The bar 44, bridgingthe conductor passageway 42, provides means whereby the conductor can begiven sort of a half hitch so as to obviate the necessity of tyingso-called underwriters knot in the conductor. Thus, the relativedisposition of the conductor passageway between the prongs and the barbridging such passageway provides means for effecting a satisfactorymechanical attachment of the conductor to the base in such a way thatthe terminal fastening devices 38 and 40 will be materially relieved ofany strain or tension applied to the outer end of the conductor.

0n the rear face of the base, I provide a mul tiplicity of groovedportions 50, which extend outwardly in substantially radial lines fromthe central conductor passageway. These grooved por- 50 tions providemeans whereby the duplex conductor 52 can be led off from the plug atsubstantially any desired angle with respect to the prongs 22 and 24'.

The cap 18 is provided with a laterally extending opening 54 and becausethis cap is adapted to be tensioned over or adjustably secured to thebase, it is apparent that the same will cooperate with the grooved base,so as to position the conductor in any one of several angular positions.For example, assuming that the plug has its conductor 52 extending outin the direction of a horizontal line passing through the centerthereof, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, in case it is desired to usethe plug for feeding an electrical apparatus in a different location,the angular position of the conductor can be readily varied by-removingthe cap 18 and engaging the conductor 52 with another of the grooves 50in the base. For example, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, theconductor can be engaged with a groove spaced at degrees from thehorizontal; Similarly, the conductor can be disposed in any of the othergrooves to suit any particular requirements. Such an adjustablearrangement is desirable because it eliminates the necessity of bendingor twisting the conductor exterior to the plug. It is apparent thatbecause the conductor passageway 42 is disposed midway between thecontact prongs and the grooved portions radiate therefrom that angularadjustment of the position of the conductor with a minimum amount ofbending movement can be readily secured. In addition to the lateralopening 54 formed in the cap, I also, in some cases, provide an axialopening 56 to permit leading the conductor 52 straight out in adirection substantially coincident with the longitudinal central axis ofthe plug.

Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparture from the invention and it is intended that the appended claimshall be construed as broadly as is consistent with the teachings of theprior art.

What I claim is:

An electric attachment plug comprising an insulator base carryingcontact prongs which extend outwardly from the front face thereof, aconductor passageway extending through the base between said prongs, anda plurality of grooved portions on the rear face of the base branchingoutwardly from the conductor passageway and a cap of resilient materialtensioned over said base and having a lateral opening therein adapted tobe aligned with any one of said grooved portions so as to position theconductor at a selected angular relationship relatively to said prongs.

STANLEY F. FRENCH. 25

